About Mafraq
Jordan's central city, Mafraq, is 80 kilometers from the capital city of Amman, and is located at the intersection of Iraq in the east and Syria in the north. Settled in the northern part of Jordan, between the Syrian Desert and the Harran Plateau, Mafraq is the largest and central city of the Mafraq region. It is also very close the three largest cities of the region: Amman in the north, Irbid in the west and Damascus in the north. The international airline route connecting Damascus and Riyadh passes through Mafraq.
There is also a railway station in the city that provides international railway transportation. Al-Bayt University, founded in 1992 on the southeastern skirts of the city, is the only university in the city. The city gained great importance with the establishment of the Hijaz Railway, which provides transportation between Istanbul and Medina. At the beginning of the 20th century, Mafraq was a city where the British military base was settled, along with the airport opened. Mafraq assumed the role of military base of the Arab League during the Arab-Israeli war in 1948. Later on, it became the headquarters of the third division of the Jordan Army and of the Mafraq Governorate. The city also hosts King Hussein Air College and Jordan Air Base.
